Macedonian parliament takes up peace plan reforms amid protests

Published Saturday, September 01, 2001

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- Macedonia's fragile peace effort moved Friday into the hands of lawmakers stuck between two forces: NATO leaders expecting support and mobs outraged that ethnic Albanian insurgents may be rewarded with greater rights.

Protesters drove home their point outside parliament by forcing a six-hour delay in debate on whether to move ahead with the Western-engineered accord.

About 500 demonstrators blocked the towering parliament doors and scuffled with some lawmakers, including an ethnic Albanian legislator, Zehir Bekteshi, who raced away from attackers after being punched and kicked.

''Shame!'' screamed some protesters at riot police after they took control of the parliament entrances before the session got under way at 5 p.m. ''You are traitors to the country.''